Thune, Alfred M 1872 – 1948

THUNE, GARDEN, GRAVES, LIQUIN, HOVEY

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/5/2015 at 13:17:00

ALFRED M. THUNE.

Alfred M. Thune is one of the most extensive landowners and prosperous farmers of Pleasant township, his fine homestead on section 2 evidencing his many years of practical supervision and careful methods in its cultivation. He is one of Winneshiek county's native sons, born in Glenwood township, February 4, 1872, his parents being Thomas and Sarah (Garden) Thune. They were born and reared in Norway and, coming to America in 1852, settled in Iowa, where their marriage occurred. The father turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, becoming prosperous and successful in this line of work and dying upon his farm in Glenwood township in 1874, when he was forty-five years of age. His wife survived him some years, dying February 25, 1894, at the age of sixty-two. In their family were eight children: Holver W., who makes his home in Ada, Minnesota ; Jane, the wife of Knut Graves, of Glenwood; Edwin, who resides in Decorah; George, of Audubon, Minnesota; Mary, who makes her home with her brother Oscar in Glenwood township; Alfred M., of this review; Oscar; and Andrew, who died at the age of four years.

Alfred M. Thune has passed his entire life in Winneshiek county. He grew to manhood on his father's farm, learning in his childhood the best agricultural methods, and when he began his independent career naturally turned his attention to the occupation to which he had been reared. He has been numbered since that time among the township's most progressive and successful farmers and his holdings are today extensive, embracing one hundred and twenty acres in the home farm on section 2, Pleasant township, with one thousand acres near Bismarck, North Dakota, and forty acres of timber land in Waterloo township, Allamakee county, Iowa. Upon his homestead he has made extensive improvements, erecting barns and outbuildings and installing the necessary machinery and equipment and neglecting nothing which will add to the attractiveness or value of the place. The success which has come to him in the course of years has been the reward of industry, well directed activity and firm determination and it places him in the front ranks of progressive agriculturists in his native county. In addition to general farming Mr. Thune has for the past fifteen years been electrician for the Glenwood and Pleasant Township Telephone Companies and his services in this capacity have been capable and efficient.

On the 23d of February, 1909, at St. Peter, Minnesota, Mr. Thune was united in marriage to Miss Mary Liquin, who was born in Pleasant township, February 26, 1867. She is a daughter of Christian and Anna (Hovey) Liquin, natives of Norway, the former born December 22, 1819, and the latter, August 24, 1831. The father came to America in 1853, but the mother arrived in this country some years previous, and in 1860 they were married in Iowa, making their home upon a farm in Pleasant township, Winneshiek county, during the remainder of their lives. Christian Liquin died December 22, 1893, and was survived by his wife until February 4, 1903. The latter was very prominent in religious work and in company with Mrs. Holver Garden and John W. Thune established the first Norwegian Methodist Episcopal church at St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Liquin became the parents of two children: John O., who died at the age of four; and Mary, the wife of the subject of this review.

Mrs. Thune was reared on her father's farm in Pleasant township and attended the public schools there and also the Decorah Institute, after which she taught school for a few terms. She then decided to secure a business education and for this purpose went to Burlington, Iowa, where she completed a business course. After the death of her parents she attended the Chicago Training School for Nurses for one year and then entered the Methodist Episcopal Hospital at Omaha, Nebraska, but was taken ill and was unable to complete the course there. Subsequently she made her home with an aunt in St. Peter, Minnesota, until her marriage and then returned to the old homestead in Pleasant township.

Mr. Thune is a devout adherent of the Methodist Episcopal church and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He has become well and favorably known, commanding and holding the esteem and confidence of all who are associated with him.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913

Glenwood Lutheran cemetery gravestone
 

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